Chicken

There was a time when chicken was reserved for the Sunday dinner table. (Think early- to mid-twentieth century.)

Now, it's an anytime meal. Check out these six yummy chicken recipes, including Fried Chicken Biscuits With Hot Honey Butter and Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup. Enjoy!

CHINESE CHICKEN STIR-FRY

This is from American Heart Association, and begins, "It takes just a few minutes to prepare your own delicious, healthful stir-fry. Our version combines juicy chicken with plenty of veggies." Serves 6; serving size 1 cup chicken mixture and 1/2 cup rice

To view this online, go to https://recipes.heart.org/en/recipes/chinese-chicken-stir-fry.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups uncooked, instant brown rice

3 tablespoon cornstarch

1 1/3 cups fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth

3 tablespoon dry sherry

OR

3 tablespoon fresh orange juice

2 tablespoon soy sauce (lowest sodium available)

1 tablespoon plain rice vinegar

2 teaspoon chili oil

1 tablespoon peeled, grated gingerroot

3 medium garlic cloves (minced)

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (all visible fat discarded, cut into 1-inch cubes)

2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

8 ounces mushrooms (sliced)

1 cup diced red bell pepper

8 ounces canned water chestnuts (drained)

3/4 cup sliced green onions

1/2 cup pecan halves (dry-roasted)

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Directions

Prepare the rice using the package directions, omitting the salt and margarine. Set aside. Cover to keep warm.

Put the cornstarch in a medium bowl. Add the broth, sherry, soy sauce, and vinegar, whisking to dissolve. Set aside.

In a large skillet or wok, heat the chili oil over high heat, swirling to coat the bottom. Cook the gingerroot and garlic for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to medium high. Stir in the chicken. Cook for 4 minutes, or until the chicken is lightly browned, stirring constantly. (The chicken won't be done at this point.) Transfer to a plate. Wipe the skillet with paper towels.

In the same skillet, still over medium-high heat, heat the sesame oil, swirling to coat the bottom. Cook the mushrooms, bell pepper, and water chestnuts for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently.

Whisk the broth mixture. Stir it into the mushroom mixture. Stir in the chicken. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center.

Stir the green onions, pecans, and red pepper flakes into the chicken mixture. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Serve over the rice.

CHICKEN WITH PEPPERS

Recipe Yield: Servings: 4

Source: 1,001 Recipes For People with Diabetes

Book Title: 1,001 Recipes For People with Diabetes

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/chicken-with-peppers.

Ingredients

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups frozen stir-fry pepper blend

1 can (15 ounces) chunky Italian-seasoned tomato sauce

Salt and pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Saute chicken and garlic in oil in large skillet until lightly browned. Push chicken to side of pan; add stir-fry pepper blend and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce. Heat to boiling; reduce heat and simmer, covered, until chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 215; Fat: 7 g; Sodium: 674 m; Cholesterol: 71 mg; Protein: 28.5 g; Carbohydrates: 10 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 2 Vegetable, 3 Meat

COUNTRY CAPTAIN

This recipe is from Rohan Kamicheril and adapted by Ligaya Mishan on The New York Times cooking site. Ligaya wrote, "The American South has long laid claim to Country Captain, but the dish’s origins can be traced back to the British Raj. It’s an Anglo-Indian legacy of colonials with palates newly awakened to the possibilities of spice. In this version from Rohan Kamicheril, who grew up in Bangalore, only a few seasonings are called for: turmeric, ginger-garlic paste — easy to mash up quickly or buy premade — and Kashmiri chile powder, which has a gentle heat that can be approximated with a mix of paprika and cayenne. Vinegar is the last, vital touch, its sourness twangs the nerve and startles the other flavors into focus. The recipe is simple, but it takes skill to make, and should be eaten immediately."

Yield: 4 servings; Time: 45 minutes

This was featured in "Chicken and Potatoes With Commanding Flavor", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022978-country-captain.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons ginger-garlic paste (see Tip)

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon Kashmiri chile powder or 1/2 teaspoon cayenne plus 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika

1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces

Neutral oil, such as grapeseed or canola, for frying

1 large onion, thinly sliced into half-moons

1 large russet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice

Salt

Soft white bread, such as a Pullman loaf or Japanese milk bread, for serving

Preparation

Combine the ginger-garlic paste with the turmeric, chile powder and vinegar in a large bowl, then toss the chicken in the marinade to coat. Let the chicken rest at room temperature while cooking the vegetables to give the spices time to infuse the meat.

Heat an inch of oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high until it reaches 340 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. (If you don’t have an instant-read thermometer, drop a nub of potato into the oil to test: If you get a fervent sizzle, the oil is hot enough.) Add the onion and fry, turning occasionally with a spider or slotted spoon, until the onion is soft and uniformly dark chestnut brown in color, 9 to 11 minutes. Scoop out the onion and let drain on a plate lined with paper towels.

Bring the oil back up to 340 degrees. Add the diced potato and fry, turning occasionally, until golden brown on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes. Scoop out the potatoes and let drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Season generously with salt while still hot.

While the potatoes cook, set a large cast-iron or other heavy skillet over high heat. When the pan is just beginning to smoke, drizzle in 2 tablespoons of oil from the saucepan and swirl to cover the bottom of the pan. Add half of the marinated chicken, making sure to leave space between the pieces. Let cook undisturbed until browned and crisp, 4 to 5 minutes, then flip and cook to brown the other sides, another 4 to 5 minutes. Scrape chicken and any accumulated juices onto a serving platter or bowl. Repeat with remaining chicken, cooking in 2 tablespoons oil from the saucepan.

Add the onion and potato to the dish with the chicken. Stir gently, just enough for the juices from the chicken to gloss the onion and potato. Serve immediately with the bread.

Tip

You can find ginger-garlic paste at Indian markets, but it’s easy to make at home, too. For the 2 tablespoons called for here, chop 3 large cloves of garlic and a fat 1-inch piece of ginger, then smash them together using a mortar and pestle or continue chopping until very finely minced. Season with a tiny pinch of salt. For a larger batch, keep a 1:1 ratio of garlic to ginger and combine in a blender with salt to taste.

SMASHED AVOCADO-CHICKEN BURGERS

This is from Yasmin Fahr in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Yasmin wrote, "These zippy chicken burgers are loaded with ginger, garlic, cilantro and scallions for fresh flavor and some textural crunch. The secret ingredient is a little mashed avocado that’s added to the ground chicken before cooking, which keeps the burgers tender and light. A citrusy soy mayonnaise is used both inside the patties and slathered on top. (Fish sauce could be used in place of the soy. Decrease the amount and adjust to taste.) Kewpie is a Japanese mayonnaise made with rice wine vinegar and egg yolks rather than distilled vinegar and whole eggs, but you can just as easily use your preferred mayonnaise. Fresh jalapeños offer a satisfying crunch when biting into the burger, though pickled ones could be used for extra acidity."

Yield: 4 servings; Time: 25 minutes

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023132-smashed-avocado-chicken-burgers.

While you're at it, check out Sam Sifton's guide, "How to Make Burgers". Very helpful!

Ingredients

1/3 cup Kewpie or other mayonnaise

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 lime, cut into wedges

Kosher salt

1 packed cup cilantro leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped, plus more for serving

1/4 cup mashed, ripe Hass avocado (from about 1/2 avocado; slice the other half for serving) (see Tip)

2 scallions, light green and white parts only, thinly sliced

3 large garlic cloves, grated or minced

1 (2-inch) piece ginger, grated or minced (about 2 teaspoons)

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, according to taste

1 pound ground chicken, preferably dark meat

2 tablespoons neutral oil, such as canola oil, or ghee

4 brioche or burger buns, lightly toasted

Butter lettuce or other tender lettuce, for serving

1 jalapeño, thinly sliced, for serving (optional)

Preparation

In a small serving bowl, combine the mayonnaise and soy sauce. Season with the juice of 1 lime wedge and salt as needed.

In a medium mixing bowl, use a fork to mash and thoroughly combine the chopped cilantro, mashed avocado, scallions, garlic, ginger, red-pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon of the soy-lime mayonnaise. Add the chicken and gently combine. Form into 4 large balls.

Heat a large (12-inch) cast-iron or heavy skillet over medium heat until very hot, 1-1/2 to 2 minutes. Add the neutral oil or ghee, then add the chicken meatballs, spacing them out in the pan. Use a metal spatula to press them until they form 1/2-inch-thick patties. Cook without moving for 3-1/2 to 4 minutes, until a deep golden crust has formed and they easily release from the pan. Flip the patties using the spatula and cook until done with a nice crust on the other side, about 3 minutes more. If the patties need more time, cover the pan and cook for 1 to 2 more minutes, adjusting the heat as needed to avoid scorching.

Squeeze a lime wedge over the patties and serve sandwiched between the buns topped with lettuce, a healthy slathering of the lime-mayonnaise, avocado slices, jalapeño slices if using, and cilantro sprigs, if desired. Serve with the remaining lime wedges and mayonnaise on the side.

Tip

Resist the urge to add more than 1/4 cup mashed avocado to the ground chicken, as the burgers will get too soft and fall apart during cooking.

CREAMY CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

This yummy soup is from Chungah, on her wonderful site, Damn Delicious. I've mentioned her site once or twice. But if you haven't visited it yet, I highly recommend it. Go ahead, I'll wait. (Tap, tap, tap...)

Okay, hopefully you checked it out. Now, this recipe begins, "So warm, so cozy, so soothing. A must for those busy cold weeknights, using up that leftover rotisserie chicken!"

Yield: 8 servings; Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 50 minutes

You can view this online at https://damndelicious.net/2022/04/29/creamy-chicken-noodle-soup/.

Ingredients

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1 sweet onion, diced

3 carrots, peeled and sliced

2 celery ribs, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup dry white wine

6 cups chicken stock

1 bay leaf

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

3 cups leftover shredded rotisserie chicken

2 cups wide egg noodles

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup frozen green peas

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions

Melt butter in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute.

Stir in wine, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Stir in chicken stock and bay leaf; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, until flavors have blended, about 10 minutes.

Stir in chicken and pasta and cook until tender, about 10-12 minutes.

Stir in heavy cream, peas and parsley until heated through, about 1-2 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Serve immediately.

FRIED CHICKEN BISCUITS WITH HOT HONEY BUTTER

This is from Tejal Rao in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Tejal wrote, "This recipe for chicken biscuits could be a weeknight dinner with a side of greens, but it's made to travel, and perfectly suited for a picnic. The biscuit dough, adapted from Sam Sifton's all-purpose biscuit recipe, is lightly kneaded here, so it's not too tender to work in a sandwich. The chicken tenders, inspired by Masaharu Morimoto's katsu in the cookbook "Mastering the Art of Japanese Home Cooking," are pounded and coated in panko for plenty of crunch. Prepare both components the day you want to eat them, giving yourself at least one extra hour for everything to cool before you assemble, so the sandwich stays crisp. You can also cook well in advance, and assemble the sandwiches the next day. Either way, cooling the chicken completely, on a wire rack, is crucial. If you prefer breast meat over thigh, feel free to swap it in."

Yield: 6 servings; Time: 1 1/2 hours, plus cooling

This was featured in "Grab Your Picnic Baskets: The Party’s Moving Outside", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018818-fried-chicken-biscuits-with-hot-honey-butter.

Note: The article is well worth reading; I thoroughly enjoyed it! (Thanks for a great read, and great recipes, Tejal!) Also, check out Sam Sifton's guide, "How to Make Fried Chicken". It's a helpful guide, whether you're a long-time cook, or just starting out.

Ingredients

For the biscuits:

3 cups/450 grams all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons/37 grams baking powder

1 tablespoon sugar

1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

7 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed

1-1/2 cups whole milk

For the chicken:

6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons cayenne

2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for seasoning

3 eggs

3 cups panko bread crumbs

Canola or other neutral oil, for frying

For the butter:

10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

3 tablespoons honey

Hot sauce, a vinegary variety such as Crystal, to taste

Sliced dill pickles, for serving

Preparation

Prepare the biscuits: In a bowl, use a fork to mix the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Add butter and use the fork to mash it into the flour until the mixture resembles large, lumpy crumbs. Stir in milk until a dough comes together.

Flour your hands, then gently gather and knead the dough in the bowl for 2 to 3 minutes, or until it springs back slightly to the touch. (If the dough is sticky, sprinkle additional flour as needed.) Cover bowl loosely with plastic wrap and rest dough in fridge for half hour.

Heat oven to 425 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, use a floured rolling pin to roll the dough to 1 to 1 1/2 inch thickness. Use a floured knife or round cutter to cut 6 biscuits, about 3 1/2 inches wide. Reroll the scraps and cut again as needed.

Place biscuits on a baking sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they have puffed up and the tops are slightly golden. Let cool completely on a wired rack at room temperature. Transfer to an airtight container if not using until the next day.

Prepare the chicken: Trim excess fat and any membranes from the meat, then lightly hammer the thickest parts of the thighs with a mallet or rolling pin. Season each side with salt.

Mix flour, cayenne and salt in one wide bowl. Beat eggs in a second wide bowl, and place panko in a third. Dip each chicken thigh in flour, coating it all over and patting off the excess, then in egg, allowing extra egg to drip off, then in panko, making sure each thigh is entirely coated in bread crumbs, and using your hands to press loose crumbs into any places where they look scarce.

In a large, heavy bottomed skillet, pour in oil to a 2-inch depth and heat to 350 degrees. Fry 2 thighs at a time, flipping them over every two minutes or so, until golden brown and crisp all over, about 8 minutes total. Transfer to a wire rack set over a paper towel-lined sheet pan and season lightly with salt. Let cool entirely at room temperature, at least 1 hour. At this point, you can assemble the sandwiches or transfer the rack to the fridge and leave the chicken uncovered overnight.

Assemble the sandwiches: When both the chicken and biscuits have cooled (or the next day), mix together soft butter, honey and hot sauce until smooth. Cut open cooled biscuits, smear each cut side with honey butter, and sandwich with a piece of chicken. If traveling, loosely wrap each sandwich in a piece of parchment paper and pack side by side in a hard container, in a single layer, so the sandwiches aren’t crushed. Serve with additional hot sauce and pickles on the side.